About the exam
DVSA PCV Theory Exam structure
An independent Great Britain study guide for DVSA bus and coach Driver CPC Part 1a multiple choice and Part 1b hazard perception, with the separate PCV Part 2 case-study boundary kept explicit.
Issuer and path
DVSA PCV Theory Test Study Guide is administered through Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
Driver CPC Part 1a: Multiple Choice
100 scored + 0 pretest
One hundred PCV and all-road-user knowledge questions in 1 hour 55 minutes, with at least 85 correct required.
Driver CPC Part 1b: Hazard Perception
20 scored + 0 pretest
Nineteen video clips containing 20 scoring developing hazards, with at least 67 of 100 points required.
Before booking or selecting a test
Confirm PCV category and intended use. Book Part 1a and Part 1b separately through DVSA; use driver-cpc-part-2-pcv only for the distinct professional case-study stage. Northern Ireland uses different DVA services.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 Format, Official Sources and Certificates | 0 | 30 | 6 | Priority |
| Licence Categories, Medical Fitness and Driver CPC Boundary | 0 | 30 | 6 | Priority |
| Interior and Exterior Walkaround Checks | 0 | 30 | 6 | Strong |
| Brakes, Tyres, Steering and Stability | 0 | 30 | 6 | Strong |
| Dimensions, Weights and Ancillary Systems | 0 | 30 | 6 | Strong |
| Boarding, Alighting, Doors and Passenger Stops | 0 | 28 | 6 | Priority |
| Passenger Capacity, Seats, Belts and Behaviour | 0 | 28 | 6 | Strong |
| Accessibility, Wheelchairs and Passenger Assistance | 0 | 27 | 6 | Priority |
| Luggage, Security and Passenger Emergencies | 0 | 27 | 6 | Strong |
| Observation, Blind Areas and Safety Space | 0 | 28 | 6 | Priority |
| Junctions, Stops, Turning and Swept Path | 0 | 28 | 6 | Priority |
| Speed, Stopping, Overtaking and Motorways | 0 | 27 | 6 | Strong |
| Reversing, Parking, Depots and Restricted Routes | 0 | 27 | 6 | Strong |
| Hours Regime and Passenger-Service Classification | 0 | 30 | 6 | Priority |
| Driving Limits, Breaks, Rest and Scheduling | 0 | 30 | 6 | Priority |
| Tachographs, Documents, Conduct and Enforcement | 0 | 30 | 6 | Strong |
| Signs, Restrictions and Route Planning | 0 | 27 | 6 | Strong |
| Vulnerable Road Users and Sharing the Road | 0 | 27 | 6 | Priority |
| Weather, Breakdowns, Incidents and Environment | 0 | 27 | 6 | Strong |
| Hazard Scanning and Prediction | 0 | 20 | 6 | Strong |
| Developing-Hazard Recognition and Click Timing | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| PCV-Specific Hazard Scenes | 0 | 20 | 6 | Strong |
How to use this guide
How to prepare for DVSA PCV Part 1
Apply passenger-vehicle thinking to every rule: check the saloon and exterior, protect boarding passengers and blind areas, drive smoothly, and keep hours and CPC duties in the correct stage.
1. Identify the vehicle, service and CPC stage
Confirm category, passenger capacity, trailer, route, professional use and whether the question belongs to Part 1 or another CPC stage.
2. Protect passengers before movement
Check roadworthiness, doors, exits, accessibility, luggage, passenger position and any defect before moving.
3. Read beyond the cab
Scan far ahead and through mirrors and cameras for people near stops, blind areas, swept path and stopping space.
4. Choose the early smooth legal action
Reduce speed, increase space, stop or report before mass, passengers, dimensions or compliance constraints remove the safe option.
Part 1 Format, Official Sources and Certificates
Separate Part 1a and 1b bookings, pass rules, two-year windows and the official bus-and-coach revision sources.
Key rules
Rule 1
Part 1a and Part 1b are booked separately and may be taken on the same day or in either order.
Exam cue: Prepare separately for 100 knowledge questions and moving hazard clips.
Rule 2
Both components must be passed within two years of each other to receive the theory certificate.
Exam cue: Calculate later practical deadlines from the first passed Part 1 component.
Rule 3
Part 1a is based on The Highway Code, Know your traffic signs and The Official DVSA Guide to Driving Buses and Coaches.
Exam cue: Use DVSA Great Britain sources rather than Northern Ireland DVA material.
Common traps
Treating Part 1a and 1b as one booking.
Prevention: Do not apply car or LGV assumptions without checking passenger capacity, accessibility, service type, blind areas and passenger comfort.
Assuming a passed component remains valid indefinitely.
Prevention: Do not apply car or LGV assumptions without checking passenger capacity, accessibility, service type, blind areas and passenger comfort.
Using Part 2 case studies as the Part 1 blueprint.
Prevention: Do not absorb Driver CPC Part 2 PCV case studies; they belong to the separate driver-cpc-part-2-pcv tracker row.
Memory anchors
One A Knowledge
Part 1a and Part 1b are booked separately and may be taken on the same day or in either order.
One B Hazards
Both components must be passed within two years of each other to receive the theory certificate.
Three PCV Sources
Part 1a is based on The Highway Code, Know your traffic signs and The Official DVSA Guide to Driving Buses and Coaches.
Separate Preparation
Prepare separately for 100 knowledge questions and moving hazard clips.
Two-Year Clock
Calculate later practical deadlines from the first passed Part 1 component.
GB Route
Use DVSA Great Britain sources rather than Northern Ireland DVA material.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
A learner opens the current PCV Part 1a knowledge component. What total number of items must they answer?
A candidate completes all 100 PCV knowledge questions. How many must be correct?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Open another topic next
Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
Driver CPC Part 1 theory test
Current Part 1a and 1b booking, bus-and-coach source, format, scoring, two-year and certificate rules.
Driver CPC Part 2 case studies
Official separate Part 2 format and ordering: seven case studies, 50 questions, 75 minutes, 40/50 and Part 4 hand-off.
Become a qualified HGV or bus driver
Current first-time qualification path, professional-use rule, exemptions, concessions and periodic-training relationship.
Apply for provisional bus entitlement
Current D2 and D4 medical application process and provisional-entitlement starting point.
Driving licence categories
Current Great Britain D1, D1E, D and DE passenger-capacity and trailer boundaries.
Check if Driver CPC is required
DVSA Great Britain exemption categories and examples; conditions must be tested against the actual operation.
PCV daily walkaround checks
DVSA cab, passenger-interior, accessibility, emergency-equipment, exterior and defect-reporting checks.
Guide to maintaining roadworthiness
Current England, Scotland and Wales systems for safe commercial goods and passenger-carrying vehicles.
Drivers' hours for buses and coaches
Current passenger-seat, route-distance, service-type and border factors used to select the hours regime.
Passenger-vehicle hours and tachographs
Current detailed DVSA guide to assimilated, AETR, GB domestic, mixed, tachograph and operator rules.
Bus and coach accessibility
Great Britain PSVAR scope, accessibility features, reasonable-assistance duty and Northern Ireland separation.
PCV vocational-driver guidance
Current PCV conduct, Driver Qualification Card, tachograph card, medical and daily-check responsibilities.
The Highway Code
Current road rules for England, Scotland and Wales, including hierarchy, large-vehicle and motorway rules.
Know your traffic signs
Department for Transport reference for signs, bus access, markings and route restrictions.
FAQ
Common DVSA PCV Theory questions
Is this an official DVSA product?
No. It is an independent study resource aligned to current public DVSA, GOV.UK, DVLA and Department for Transport material. DVSA remains the authority for bookings, test delivery and results.
What is included in this slug?
Only bus-and-coach Driver CPC Part 1a multiple-choice and Part 1b hazard-perception learning. It covers passenger-vehicle operation, safety, Great Britain road rules and compliance; written hazard topics do not reproduce the official clips.
How are Part 1a and Part 1b structured?
Part 1a has 100 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 55 minutes and requires 85 correct. Part 1b has 19 video clips containing 20 developing hazards and requires 67 out of 100.
Must the Part 1 components be taken together?
No. They are booked separately, may be taken on the same day or in either order, and must both be passed within two years of each other.
Are PCV Driver CPC Part 2 case studies included?
No. Part 2 is a separate test with seven work-life case studies, 50 questions, 75 minutes and a 40/50 pass mark. It is tracked separately as driver-cpc-part-2-pcv.
Can Part 2 be taken before Part 1?
Yes. GOV.UK says Part 2 can be booked once the provisional licence is held and Part 1 does not have to be passed first. That ordering does not merge the two tests or their tracker banks.
Does every PCV licence use case require full Driver CPC?
No. Driving a bus or coach as the main part of a job normally requires full Driver CPC, but non-commercial use and other defined exemptions or concessions can apply. The appropriate licence-acquisition tests remain separate.
What is PCV-specific in this guide?
It includes interior and exterior PSV checks, passenger capacity and behaviour, boarding and alighting, doors and emergency exits, accessibility equipment and assistance, luggage, bus-and-coach road procedure and passenger-service hours.
How do passenger-service hours differ from LGV hours?
The applicable PCV regime depends on passenger-seat count, route length, regular or non-regular service and national or international operation. Current passenger-vehicle guidance must be used rather than assuming goods-vehicle rules.
Does PSVAR apply in Northern Ireland?
The Great Britain guidance applies to England, Scotland and Wales and states that Northern Ireland has separate accessibility regulations. This module does not teach the Northern Ireland DVA route.
Can written practice reproduce Part 1b?
No. Written study can strengthen scanning and developing-hazard recognition, but it cannot reproduce movement or the scoring window. Use current visual practice as well.
Why are the domain allocations not official weights?
DVSA publishes the overall format and source books but no fixed public scored Part 1a topic allocation. The future 601-question allocation here is an internal coverage plan.